Important upgrade taking shape at OPG’s Sir Adam Beck I hydro station

The new tailrace deck taking shape now is much wider – 5.87 metres compared to the original’s 4.11 metres. It’s also higher by 0.8 metres to provide increased clearance above maximum tailwater levels.

In addition to the deck upgrades, a permanent access platform has been built at the south end of the tailrace. The 20-metre by 12-metre platform will benefit OPG’s operations by providing a staging and parking area at river level.

The new design is also preserving the heritage of the original tailrace deck by replicating its unique arches.

The project, which started in 2022 in partnership with Hatch Ltd., Rankin Construction Inc., and Ellis Engineering, involved the complete demolition of the old tailrace deck, which wrapped up in September 2023.

Proceeding from south to north, the reconstruction phase of the project began shortly after, in October 2023, with the new tailrace deck quickly taking shape over the next year.

Construction is expected to be completed later this year.

The project team had to think outside the box to ensure hydroelectric generation from Sir Adam Beck I remained unaffected by demolition and construction.

“That was our biggest challenge,” said Friedmann. “In the end, we came up with an innovative solution – and that was to set up a barge in front of the station from which we could do all the demolition and reconstruction work.”

The large sectional barge, roughly 49 metres long and 12 metres wide, safely accommodates an 85-ton crawler crane and two 35.5-ton excavators, among other required equipment.

Due to the fast flowing and turbulent waters of the Niagara River, traditional methods of using spuds and tugboats to respectively anchor and move the barge was not practical.

Instead, the project team came up with a temporary mooring system, which included heavy cables and winches connected to anchor points on shore. This system allows the barge to be shuttled along the entire length of the tailrace while providing a stable platform for workers.

Ultimately, this solution has allowed Beck I to keep producing clean power unhindered throughout the project and the station played a major role in OPG’s Niagara hydro operations achieving its highest electricity output in over 40 years in 2023.

“Were it not for this barge, the new deck would have taken significantly longer to construct and we likely would have had to shut down some generating units to accommodate the work,” said Friedmann.

This is just the latest project underway at OPG’s Sir Adam Beck hydro complex, which includes Sir Adam Beck I and II GS, as well as the Sir Adam Beck Pump GS.

This April, OPG announced its Niagara hydro fleet, which includes the Sir Adam Beck complex, will soon be undergoing a multi-year refurbishment.

Last November, OPG successfully completed a high-voltage line replacement at the Sir Adam Beck II GS, Ontario’s largest hydro station.

And in 2022, Sir Adam Beck I GS completed the replacement of two historic generating units, the first full unit replacements in its long history.

All of this work will ensure these important stations can continue to generate clean, reliable power to support Ontario’s electrification and economic growth.

All told, OPG’s Niagara hydro stations meet about 9% of Ontario’s energy needs each year.